House Of Blues

Doesn't Recommend

ElizabethCor

Joined 2 years ago

Avoid this place!. This place doesn't even deserve one star. Definitely avoid this venue, at all costs, unless you want to be harassed by a vigilante undercover security guard on a major power trip. This place is SHADY.

My friends and I went here to attend a concert and were inexplicably picked out of line by a non-uniformed person who began haggling us for our tickets. He looked more like a scalper than a security officer. We asked him who he was, who he worked for, and his justification for trying to take our tickets. He said "My name is Dominic, go ahead and be one of the four hundred people who have already complained about me." Clearly, he had no intention of having a respectful conversation with us.

However, some grand sense of generosity must have overcome him at that point, because he decided that he would take our wristbands and let us into the show so that we could not purchase drinks. This was completely fine with us, as we were here for the music and not the overpriced alcohol. On the way inside, we muttered to ourselves about how ridiculous the incident was and how confused we still were.

Apparently, questioning him incited his anger, and in a power-fueled rage, he had the bouncers and a police officer stop us inside, threaten us with being arrested, and toss us out to the street. The manager came out, who only shook his head, refused to make eye contact, and corroborated Dominic's account of the events. We asked to be given a breathalyzer - anything to prove that we were NOT drunk. The manager and the police officer refused our request, and so we were forced to leave the venue with no documentation of our innocence.

I get it- these places have a legal responsibility to make sure wildly intoxicated people don't go in. Totally understand. Except for the fact that we were sober. In fact, more sober than we should have been for a concert like this. It left me wondering if maybe the show had been overbooked and they needed a way to keep people out. Whatever the reasoning was, Dominic was condescending and patronizing in the way he handled the situation. We were left humiliated and out a lot of money. I will NEVER go back to the House of Blues, no matter how good of a show is playing there. If you choose to go, watch out for the vigilante security officer lurking around.

Doesn't Recommend

ricefrog

Joined 3 years ago

Awful Venue, But Tough Luck. When I pay close to $50/head to walk in some place, and I've got a pocketful of cash I plan to spend on overpriced drinks, I consider that I'm paying top dollar.

I don't expect a red carpet, but how about a little bit of politeness and consideration?

No. The House of Blues has you by the balls, and they know it. When the band you want to see is coming here, you will pay. You will go. You will drink. No matter what they do to you.

Take the Bravery show I went to a few months ago. I was very busy at work, so my schedule was tight and I called ahead on the day of the show to find out set times. I figured that I would just barely have time for dinner before the headliner, but when I called the staff told me there were no openers, and the main act went on right at 8.

I was a bit surprised, but I figured I'd better go right to this shockingly early show and have dinner afterward. Friends of mine had missed entire shows by assuming there were opening acts, so I was glad I called.

When I walked in, the place was empty except for a few teenagers, and it was soon revealed to me that there were not zero, but THREE opening acts!

Oh yea - and a very strict no re-entry policy.

So dinner became a hotdog from the steam machine behind the bar.

That's not a one-time hiccup in a smooth machine, either. Every time I go here something frustrates me. You can't get the set times, you can't buy two drinks, so everyone has to go to the bar every time. No way to step outside for a smoke. When you do get to the bar, you have to show your wristband AND ID every single time! The coat check is five dollars. And when they're closing and your female friend is in the bathroom, you will not be able to stop their male staff from walking in there right over your protests.

I don't want to paint all of their staff with the same brush, though. I have found some of them to be friendly but powerless against draconian corporate policies.

But there's no personal touch of a business that actually cares about music or its customers.

They've got a monopoly on shows of a certain size here in Boston, and we can all go screw ourselves.

And they're doing fine - I just checked and every single show coming up is sold out.

Doesn't Recommend

jmclennen

Joined 4 years ago

House of Rules. we went to the paolo nutini concert w/ a huge group b/c we thought it'd be fun. the only reason this gets 2 stars is because even though we didn't pay for good seats, we were still able to stand pretty close to the stage and had a great view. however, we won't ever return because the beers were crazy expensive, they weren't selling drinks on the first floor so you had to go up to the 2nd or 3rd (where the line was enormous b/c everyone was being sent up there), and then you couldn't go in the stairwell w/ your drink, so hope your friends follow you up b/c you can't come down w/ your $10 coors light until about halfway through when they started letting us. concert was fine but the venue needs work on their hospitality - too many rules!

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Editorial Review. The eponymous House of Blues stations itself next to Boston's Fenway Park, bringing big-name music acts to town, alongside hearty-trendy menu and drinks.